Reviewed by True
TITLE: Wrangling for His Love
SERIES: City of Fountains #5
AUTHOR: Hayden West
PUBLISHER: Pride Publishing
LENGTH: 87 pages
RELEASE DATE: March 7, 2023
BLURB:
When the dust settles…
Ben “The Dusty Demon” Mooney is a steer wrestler. One of the best in the world but even that title comes at a price. One that has to do with the color of his skin and his preference in partners. An incident at an event is the start of something which quickly becomes more. But is he ready for this opportunity and all that comes with it?
Matthew Jigs is harboring a long time crush on Ben Mooney. There’s isn’t a world that one advertises their sexual preference. If friendship is all he can get, he’ll take it. For now. But Ben’s hesitation makes Matthew try to see things from this man’s point of view. He wants so much and it seems like Ben is just holding on.
It all blows up and he’s standing alone, to pick up the pieces, or is he? Perhaps when the dust settles, everything will be as it should be.
REVIEW:
Ben, a hard-working steer wrestler, is thwarted because of the color of his skin. There are some ugly people trying to finish his career and hard work to the title of World Champion Steer Wrestler.
Matthew, the bullfighter, works in the same environment as Ben, traveling around from rodeo to rodeo.
He likes Ben, a lot, romantically. He wants to stand up for Ben, make the racist comments stop and those people get punished.
At first, Ben is cynical about Ben’s attention, even advising him to step back, because of the consequences of being with a Black man.
Indeed, after one kiss with Ben, Matthew got harassed.
Ben doesn’t want to start anything with Matthew, not with these threats because of him.
Always being on guard for attacks, and listening to slurs, Ben is exhausted, he had enough, it’s wearing him down.
Thank god there are people who got his back, who aren’t afraid to speak up and be clear about what they think of racism and racist people.
My blood boiled at times, really, people can be so hurtful. I have no words *shudder*.
Without even acknowledging they’re something more, their relationship is already fragile, ready to snap.
Matthew is devastated when Ben gives him the cold shoulder and dismissed him. He has to watch him from a distance and it hurts.
When I read ‘the end’ I was a bit shocked, huh? That was a bit too abrupt for my pleasure.
I wanted them to talk, and explain why they were apart, I wanted more romance. Okay, I know, I have to keep in mind it’s a short story.
It was a good read, quite tough, nothing superficial, the environments felt realistic. The main characters were lovable, and there are some wonderful supportive secondary characters.
The story is slightly developed, but acceptable, when I look back at the whole picture, it felt good and substantial.
RATING: 
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